Bottle holder



S. N. LEBOLD BOTTLE HOLDER Jan. 25, 1949.

Original Filed Dec. 11, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. fiamuel NZebaZaC 5. N. LEBOLD BOTTLE HOLDER Jan. 25, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. I ll, 1944- INVENTOR. fiamuelMlabold,

Patented Jan. 25, 1949 BOTTLE HOLDER Samuel N. Lebold, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Morris Paper Mills, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Continuaion of application Serial No. 567,560,

December 11, 1944. This application September 27, 1947, Serial No. 776,553

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the packaging of bottles of beverage, and similar articles, for transportation by hand. More particularly, it pertains to a package of bottles or similar articles area, of paper board material required to give the necessary strength and to afford proper retention and protection for the bottles.

A particular object is the provision of a package of the sort above referred to wherein the paper board holder or carrier, and particularly the handle portions whereby the package is supported, are eifectively safeguarded against twisting, extreme fiexion, and other distortion such as would taneously by straight vertical movement, and, moreover, wherein the compartment partitions are afforded secure support and effective protection and are adapted to prevent injurious contact of the bottles.

special apparatus Another object is the provision of a package and a holderv of character such as to facilitate the stacking of a plurality of such packages upon one another for purpose of display or the like, without and a carrier or holder for forming such a 5 involving any distortion or adjustment of any package of a character such that a plurality of portions of the holders or subjecting them to inbottles or similar articles is securely retained in jurious loading, and wherein the bottles will be association to constitute a unit which may be carsecurely and effectively retained in proper posiried conveniently in the hand. This is a continution and relationship to carry the load of the ation of my co-pending application Serial No. superimposed'packages. 567,560, filed December 11, 1944 for Bottle holders, Another object is the provision of such a now abandoned, which in turn is a continuation package and holder of such character that the in part of my application Serial No. 544,594, filed contained bottles are effectively safeguarded July 12, 1944 and also entitledBottle holders, now when groups of the packages, four or more for Patent No. 2,389,318. example, are disposed and handled in trays, crates Av general object of the invention is the proor cases for transportation in the bottling plant vision of such a package which comprises a carrier or in course of distribution to dealers.

or holder that may be made of paper board or Another object is the provision of an improved similar sheet material .and in which the bottles paper board holder or carrier whereby the'forewill be securely retained and eifectively safegoing objects may be attained and which may be guarded, and yet. which may be produced very produced rapidly and in quantities on conveneconomically and supplied to users at low cost, tional cutting and printing presses and may be because of the simplicity of the manufacturing fabricated complete in the box factory in coloperations involved and the relatively small lapsed or knocked-down condition such as to conamount, both as regards thickness or weight and serve space in packaging, storage and shipment to users, and which may be set up quickly and easily Jay users at the point of use without equiring any of a'iiditio alti cr ei rtraneous fastenings.

A' further object is to provide a carrier hayingfy the above advantages, and in addition characterized by a novel arrangement of suspending means thereon, with resultant increased comfort in use and unimpaired strength.

tend to weaken the material and Parts Of the 33 Other and further objects of the invention will structure and ther y c ri o t r ng o be pointed out or indicated hereinafter, or will be failure of them in the contemplated uses. apparent to one skilled in the art upon employ- A specific object of the invention is the proment of embodiments of it in actual use. vision of a package and holder of such character For purpose of aiding in a, description 'of the that comparatively light paper board may be em- 40 invention, I show in the accompanying drawings, ployed effectively for the secure packaging and and hereinafter describe, certain forms in which carryi f groups of conventional bottles of the it may be embodied. It is to be understood, how- 12-ounce size and larger. ever, that these are presented merely for purpose Another object is the provision of a holder of illustration, and hence are not to be accorded affording the advantages stated above, which may any interpretation calculated to impose on the be made complete from a unitary fiat blank appended claims any limitations which are not formed to provide partitions and walls aiiording necessitated by the prior art. a plurality of bottle-receiving compartments and i In said drawings, having Said ompartments so arranged that Fig. 1 is a plan or lay-out showing, in the bottles may be deposited in all of them simlllheavily outlined portion, one complete blank of form suitable for production of an embodiment of the invention, the lay-out showing the side of the blank which forms the inner side of thecompleted carrier, and serving also to show how a number of such blanks may be cut simultaneously from a from a blank such as shown in Fig. 1, portraying the carrier in its completely fabricated form but in the flat collapsed condition in which it is supplied to users;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same carrier in its fully set-up condition, ready for reception of its intended load of bottles of beverage or the like to form a complete package embodying my invention, the illustration in Fig. 3 being on somewhat larger scale than those in the preceding figures;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of a package embodying my invention and comprising a carrier of the form shown in Fig. 3 loaded with beverage bottles of conventional form and 12-ounce size, the illustration showing the manner in which the bottles cooperate with the holder to prevent distortion of the handle portions when the package is carried in the hand;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the same package, illustrating the manner in which the parts of the package cooperate to afford support for another similar package or packages, as in stacking for display;

Fig. 6 is a plan or lay-out view of another design of blank for forming a similar package and a carrier of modified form, the figure showing in folded positions portions of the blank which are shown in dot-and-dash lines in the positions in which they are originally cut from the sheet;

Fig. 'I is a side view of a completed carrier made from the blank illustrated in Fig. 6, showing the same in its flat collapsed condition;

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the carrier of Fig. 7 in set-up condition, showing a top view of its bottom with some parts broken away to reveal underlying parts; and

Fig. 9 is a diagram in the nature of a plan or top view of a case or tray containing four of the packages such as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, and serving to show how the holders cooperate mutually to afford the bottles effective protection in such relationship. I

The general objects and some of the characteristics of the invention having been pointed out above, a fuller understanding of it may be most quickly ascertained from the following description of the embodiments illustrated.

In Fig. 1 is illustrated an arrangement wherein a plurality of identical blanks may be cut simultaneously from a sheet of paper board by a single die in a cutting press, and it will be observed that the several blanks are so internested that there is very little waste of material. One of the blanks shown is heavily outlined and the reference characters are applied to it, the other blanks having corresponding parts. It will be seen that the blank is cut and creased to provide a pair of similar side wall panels I and II which are connected at crease lines a and b by an end wall panel I2, and are conjoined at their outer ends, along crease lines o and d respectively, to end wall panel sections I3 and H.

v A slotted bottom flap I is conjoined to the lower margin of side panel I I at crease line e and is formed with a locking slot I7. A pair of hooked bottom flaps l6 are conjoinedto the lower margin of side panel I0 along crease line I and are disposed in marginal abutment with each other and formed at their outer ends with hooks I8 adapted for interlocking cooperation with bottom flap II at the ends of slot II. An end flap section IQ is, conjoined to the lower margin of end panel section I3 along crease line a and an end flap section 20 is conjoined to the bottom margin of end panel section I along crease line h. An end flap 22 is conjoined to the lower margin of end panel I2 along crease line i. Each of said flaps is approximately coextensive with its conjoined panel on their junction line.

Slits 23, 24 and 25 extend completely through the blank and serv-e to mark ofi handle panels 26 and 21 from the various wall panels, said slits defining the lower margins of said handle panels, and, in conjunction with upward prolongations of crease lines b and d and additional vertical crease lines 1, k and m serve to define partition strips 28 and 29 connecting the side panels with respective handle panels. These partition strips may be formed with shallow cushioning embossments 30. Tabs 3| are slotted out of the handle panels along end and bottom margins and are flexible out of the sheet along crease lines at their tops to afford finger holes. The upper corner portion of end panel section I3 is marked oil. by a slit 32 and, a crease line n to form a glue tab 33.

The blank having been cut and creased on the cutting pressin the form just described, after having been printed on a suitable printing press if desired, is ready for the further fabricating operations. These comprise, first, application of adhesive to the areas marked with stippling on the handle panel 21, glue tab 33, end section I3 and end flap I9. This may be accomplished in a conventional gluing and folding machine. Then side panel I0 and handle panel 26 are folded over along crease line a onto panels II, I2 and 21, the handle panels thus becomingadhesively secured to each other in locations corresponding to the stippling. Then end section l3 and flap section I3 are folded over along crease line 0 onto the upwardly presented surfaces of handle panel 26, end section I4 and flap section 20, so that glue tab 33 becomes adhesively secured to handle panel 26, end section I3 to end section I4, and flap section I 9 to flap section 20, slit 32 being in coinciding relationship with the end portion of slit 25. This completes the fabrication of the holder, and it is in the flat folded condition shown in Fig. 2 wherein the light stippling indicates the areas wherein the parts are connected by adhesive.

To set .up the holder from its collapsed condition, the opposite margins, which now lie on crease linesa and c, are pressed toward each other. This swings end panel I2 and the opposite end panel, formed by adhesively connected sections I3 and I4, to angular relationship with the side panels and the handle panels, the overlying panels swinging apart from one another on crease lines a and c and conjoined coplanar panels swinging to angular relationship with each other on crease lines b, d, m and n. This angular swinging of the end panels moves the side panels outwardly away from the handle panels. and swings the partition strips to angular relationship with the side and handle panels.

The holder having been thus folded to place the adjacent wall panels in angular relationship to define the rectangular form of the holder, the end flaps 22 and I9 are folded inwardly along lines 1' and 0-11., and slotted flap IS is folded inwardly on crease e. Hooked flaps I8 are then folded inwardly and their, hooked end portions are overlapped one upon the other, so as to hesive is applied to gaging the hooks l8 with the flap l at the ends of the slot l1 and securing the flaps |5 and Hi to each other so that they support themselves and the end flaps at approximately right angles 7 to the wall panels to from a double or two-ply bottom for the holder. This completes the setting up of the holder and it has the form illustrated in Fig. 3. i

In Figs. 6, '7 and 8 is illustrated a modified embodiment having an improved bottom construction of the automatic or self-locking type. Excepting for the bottom construction, it is substantially identical with the carrier above described in \all particulars, and like reference characters are applied to corresponding parts. The blank is shown in Fig. 6, and it will be observed that the wall and handle panels are identical with those of the blank shown in Fig. 1, with the exception that the end panel I3 is somewhat wider than the end panel l3. Here the four bottom flaps are designated respectively by the reference numerals 40, 42, 4| and 43, 40 and 4| being side bottom flaps and 42 and 43 being end bottom flaps. The side bottom flaps 40 and 4| are formed with interlocking tabs 44 and 45 shaped to afford interengageable hook portions beyond locking slots 46. The end bottom flaps 42 and 43 are formed with obliqueor diagonal folds creases p and q, the first extending from the corner of flap 42 adjacent the intersection of fold creases a and i, and the fold crease q extending from the corresponding corner of flap 43 adjacent the intersection of fold creases c and g. These fold creases mark off connecting tabs 48 and 41 in the respective end flaps. After the blank is cut out as shown in full lines, the bottom flaps are foldedover along fold lines I, i, e and g. onto the upwardly presented surfaces of their conjoined wall panels l0, l2, II and |3','from the positions indicated by, the dot-dash lines. Ad.-

areas of handle panels and end wall section |4 indicated by stippling in Fig. 6, and also to the entire upwardly presented surfaces of connecting tabs 41 and 48. Then the blank is folded on crease line 0 so as to place the adhesive bearing surface of connecting tab 41 upon the upwardly presented surface ofside bottom flap 4|, and next the blank is folded on the crease line a so as to place the upwardly presented surface of side flap 40 upon the upwardly presented adhesive bearing surface of connecting tap 48 and to place the handle panels in register with each other and the adhesive bearing surface of end wall section l4 upon the upwardly presented surface of end panel l3 and the adhesive bearing surface of handle panel 26 upon the upwardly presented surface of glue flap 33. Thus the handle flaps are adhesively secured in coinciding relationship, the end portion of handle panel 26 is secured to glue flap 33, end wall section I4 is adhesively secured to end panel I3, and side bottom flaps 40 and 4| are adhesively secured to respective connecting tabs 42 and 43 of the end flaps. The holder as thus completely folded and lapsed or flat folded form illustrated in Fig. 7, the bottom flaps remaining in their folded positions between the wall panels.

To set up this holder from its fiat collapsed form, pressure is applied to move fold creases a and 0 toward each other, thereby swinging the fabricated is in the-collapping of end wall panels into angular relationship with the side wall panels and handle panels 'and moving the side wall panels l0 and H outwardly away from the handle panels and longitudinally relative to each other; Coincident with this relative movement of the wall panels, the bottom flaps are all swung downward because of their connection thereto across the corners by attachment of the side bottom flaps 40 and 4| to the respective connecting tabs 48 and 41. This downward swinging 0f the bottom flaps is accommodated by folding of the connecting flaps 48 and 41 along the diagonal crease lines 1: and q, so that said connecting flaps are swung over onto what is to be the upper or inner surfaces of end bottom flaps 42 and 43 as the flaps approach their horizontal position, perpendicular to the wall panels. It is to be observed that as the flaps 40 and 4| swing downwardly, they also shift longitudinally relative to each other as side panels l0 and II move longitudinally with the angular swinging of the end wall panels. This relative longitudinal movement of flaps 40 and 4| is such as to swing their interlocking hooks toward each other, but the downward swingin movement of those flaps is such that the interlocking tab of each of them is moved to overlapping or crossed relationship with the swinging margin of the other flap while the tabs 44 and-45 are still clear of each other. During the further downward swinging movement of the bottom flaps, the longitudinal movement of flaps 40 and 4| brings their hooks and slots 46 into interlocking relationship, and they are fully seated in crotched interengagement when the flaps reach their horizontal position at right angles to the wall panels. In this, the fully set-up position of the bottom, the interlocking tabs 44 and 45 of the respective side bottom sections overlap and lie upon the opposite side bottom flaps for a substantial distance beyond the longitu'dinalmedian line of the bottom, and the connecting tabs 41 and 48 are infolded between the side and end bottom flaps, end flap 43 resting upon the upper surface of side flap 40 and end flap 42 upon the upper surface of side flap 4|. The internal apapearance of the bottom is shown in Fig. 8, and it will be observed that the construction forms a very tight bottom in which there is liberal overthe bottom flaps across all of the well as across the median joint line. Moreover, the bottom is of at least two-ply thickness in the major portion of the area of each bottle compartment.

A very similar can be made with a blank of the form illustrated in Fig. 6 but eliminating the, diagonal creases from the end bottom flaps and forming them, instead, in the side bottom flaps so that they eX- tend obliquely from the corners at the junctions of the fold creases c -e and a-f, with the result that the connecting tabs are formed on the side bottom flaps rather than on the end bottom flaps. The folding of this modified bottom will be the same as that last described, the bottom flaps being first folded over onto their conjoined wall panels and the, adhesive being applied to the then upwardly presented surfaces of theconnecting tabs on the side bottom flaps, so that, upon the further folding on crease lines o and a, the end bottom flaps will be placed upon the connecting tabs and adhesively secured thereto. Upon thesetting up of the carrier with this bottom construction, the end bottom flaps will diagonal joint lines as automatic bottom construction 1 shape.

to be carried it is intended to carry in bridging of the bottom by the still and uncreased end bottom flaps carries the weight of the bottles over tolocations closely adjacent the side and end wall panels, thus relieving the interlocking bottom parts of tearing stresses.

Excepting for details of the bottom and near end panel, Fig. 3 serves to illustrate the external appearance of any of the three embodiments in its fully erected condition. It will be observed that in each the bottom structure provides a vvery stifl platform which holds the wall structure definitely in its rectangular form, maintaining the end walls and the partition strips II and 29 in the desired relationship to the connected handle panels 26 and 21 to form two rows of bottle compartments, and to maintain those compartments in their fully open or distended condition. Consequently, these carriers are particularly adapted for loading by automatic or semiautomatic means whereby the full complement of bottles for a carrier is arranged in proper relationship and then dropped simultaneously into the compartments, bottoms first and in upright positions.

Other characteristics of the structure particularly qualify carriers of these constructions for loading in that fashion. In the first place, the still two-ply bottom aflords a desirable cushioning effect for the bottles when they drop onto it. In the second place, the partition strips are aiiorded maximum strength because the fact that they extend directly and in the shortest lines from the side panels to the handle panels and are connected throughout their height with said panels. The portions of the side panels to which the partition strips are connected are continued in full height along the sides of the compartments, and-thus serve to safeguard the outer end connections of the trips against being caught or broken by the dropping bottles. The partition strips are stiflened somewhat by the em- .bossments 30, though the primary purpose of these is to give these partitions additional cushioning eflect between the juxtaposed bottles.

' In Figs. 4 and 5 is illustrated a completed package embodying this invention, such as may be formed with a carrier of either of the forms above described. The example here shown is a package comprising six beverage bottles of conventional An important feature of this improved package is a particular relationship of carrier and bottles whereby they cooperate to safeguard the handle parts against deflection or distortion such as might break or weaken them. It will be understood, of course, that the package is designed pendulously in the hand, the tabs 3| being folded laterally and upwardly out-of the handle panels to aflord finger holes through which the fingers of the hand may be introduced to grasp the handle which is thus provided at the upper portions of the handle panels.

The carrier is proportioned, of course, with reference to the size and form of the bottles which any particular instance, and when it is designed for holding six bottles. as

' --here illustrated, its length is such as to accommo- -date three of the intended bottles standing close together in a row, and

its width is such as to acstanding side by side, suitmade, of course, for the incommodate two bottles able allowance being V 8 'tervening partition strip! and the interposed lower portions or the handle panels. Accordingly. the dimensions of each bottle compartment are such as to accommodate a single bottle with suiiicient freedom topermit it to drop into place by gravity, yet retain it against any substantial extent of lateral shifting movement in the compartment when seated therein. Accordingly, when the carrier has its load '0! intended bottles. they are retained quite securely in upright" positions. and held against any substantial degree of tilting movement in any direction.

Heretoiore, in the designing of bottle carriers having handles formed by portions or the blank,

tobe wherein it will be seen it has been regarded as necessary or desirable to position the portions of the handle which are grasped in the hand at a sumcient distance above the height of the intended bottles to permit the hand to be almost entirely clear of their upper ends. I have conceived and demonstrated, however, that certain quite important advantages are attained by so proportioning the carrier in reference to the intended bottles that none of the handle parts extendsabove the topmostsurfaces of the bottles or bottle closures. This particular of the structure is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 that the upper margins of the handle panels are located an appreciable distance below the tops oi the bottle caps, and, in fact, below the lower margins of the cap skirts. Of course, the exact location of the handle in reference to the height of the bottles is susceptible of considerable variation such as may be best suited to the form of bottle involved in any given instance. and. while it is recognized that there are t s of short necked or high shouldered bottles which are not adapted for use in the present invention, the intended results are obtainable with beverage bottles of nearly all of the conventional shapes and proportions, substantially all of which have upper portions which are tapered more or less gradually to relatively thin necks which attain a diameter less than half the width of the bottle body, the portions which are materially reduced in diameter comprising approximately onethird, more or less, of the total height of the bottle. The bottles illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 are of a very common type used quite extensively, in iii-ounce size, for the packaging of beverages. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be regarded as limited. for its utility, to bottles of that capacity or of that particular shape.

Nevertheless, an analysis of conventional beverage bottles and the conventional, commercial paperboard carriers in which they are sold for home consumption reveals that the relationship between the height of the bottles and any, substantially non-variable carrier dimension that is available as a standard of comparison. such as the length of the carrier side wall |0,may be represented by a ratio, which ratio will serveas a basis for calculating the permissible height of panel 26, in accordance with the present invention. This bottle height-wall length ratio ranges in various commercial products from less than 1.2:1.0 to 1.4:1.0, but never, so far as I have been able to ascertain, in excess ing the height of the suspending panel 26 of the present carrier to the side wall length of the carrier. provision is made that the ratio of these dimensions is preferably less than and certainly never in substantial excess 01' 1.5: 1.0.

' An important characteristic of the bottles, from the standpoint of the present invention, is that of l.5:l.0. Therefore, in relatcaps and projecting when assembled in the carrier in two rowsof three each, they afford between their upper neck portions suflicient space for accommodation of a hand or fist of normal size, thereby permitting the handle parts to be grasped and supported in the hand at a location below the tops oi the bottles, as illustrated for example in Fig. 4. The middle of the handle, longitudinally considered, is between the two middle bottles, and the thumb of the hand finds a location between the necks of the middle and end bottles in the row on the inner or thumb side, while the knuckles of the second and third fingers straddle the neck of the middle bottle on the Outer or knuckle row. If the fist is large, the middle bottle may be tilted outward slightly as illustrated in Fig. 4, but this does not interfere with its support or security or with the comfortable carrying of the package. Most bottles which are closed by caps of the crown type are formed with peripherally bulging portions or guard collars just below the margins of the skirt outwardly substantially as far as do said margins, ing the caps against catching on the rim of the case or other adjacent object, and in the present package these bulges'or guard collars function also as effective guards against scratching of the hand by the skirt margins when the hand is inserted or withdrawn from the holding position. For best protection of the knuckles, it is desirable that the handle be located so low that the finger knuckles are well below the caps, as illustrated for example in Fig. 4.

It will be observed that the finger holes take the form of parallelograms of which the top and bottom sides are inclined downwardly toward the center of the handle panel. The difference in height of the inner and outer top corners of each of the parallelogram-shaped tabs amounts to about one-fourth inch. This drops the user's knuckles suificiently below the top of the handle panel to bring them well below the relatively sharp skirt of the bottle cap.

By providing that the upper sides of the finger holes converge downwardly and inwardly of the sides of the handle panel, I likewise considerably increase the comfort of the user in transporting the carrier, for this shape distributes the weight to be carried by the fingers uniformly over the four fingers normally engaged in the finger holes. I have found that with prior types of finger holes by far the greater portion of the weight was carried by the second and third fingers, with very little supported by the index and little fingers. With the above arrangement of. the finger holes,

'a far more even distribution of weight results,

with resultant increased comfort. A still further feature of considerable importance from the standpoint of strength is the fact that the formation of the finger holes as downwardly and inwardly sloped parallelograms enables the holes 'to be disposed the maximum distance from the top of the handle panel which is consistent with adequate strength in the panel. Thus, if the finger holes were in the form f rectangular parallelograms, and were disposed downwardly from the topof the handle panel a distance corresponding to that shown in Fig. and designated A, insufiicient material would be left between the lower edge of the finger hole and the top of the vertical hinge line for the highest partition strip to give adequate strength at this point. However, since in the improved structure the botom edges of the parallelogram-shaped finger holes slant upwardly and outwardly, additional clearance,

for the purpose of safeguardrepresented by the character B, is provided between the hinge line for the partition strip and the finger hole.

These provisions enable the finger holes to be brought as far down in the panel 26 and as nearly proximate the upper edge of the cross partition 29 as is possible, consistent with necessary strength. As a result, the upper extremity of the panel is also lowered relatively close to said upper par-.

tition edge.

Several important advantages are gained by the location of the handle below the top of the bottles. In the first place, it effects very substantial saving of paper board material, as compared with the amount which would be required if the handle panels were made high enough to 10- cate the hand-hold portions above the tops of the bottles. In the second place, the short handle facilitates accurate control of the package in the operations of carrying it or stacking it or placing it in or removing it from cases, as compared with carriers having handle panels of the greater height. This is noticeable simply in the carrying a of the package, as the low handle gives it a very compact and balanced feeling.

Probably the most important advantage is the great saving in paper board material which results from the greatly increased safety factor.

With the hand thus pocketed down among the necks of the bottles, the latter act as limiting. elements which prevent lateral fiexion of the handle panels and handle parts to an. extent where the paper board material'may be torn-or its fiber broken or permanently bent. Furthermore, due to the limitation imposed by the bottle necks on lateral fiexion and twisting of the handle parts, they and the handle panels are definitely safeguarded against the whipping and weaving actions which are likely to impose inertia shocks and tearing stresses on the handle parts when the latter are long, particularly when the packages are being picked up suddenly as in rapid handling. Still another important safety advantage accrues from the fact that it is unnecessary to crease or bend any'of the handle parts at any time or for a any purpose. In various types of carriers and packages heretofore used, wherein the paper I board handle parts extend above thetops of the bottles, it has been found necessary or desirable to crease or score them in order to permit their being bent over laterally to lie fiat on the tops of the bottles in order to permit the stacking of other packages on them. either for display or for purpose of transportation in trucks or the like. Not only does such creasing or scoring necessarily weaken the fiber of the paper board, but the mere fact that portions of the handle stick up above the bottles exposes them to mutilation when the packages are handled in cases or stacked.

By virtue of these several safety factors which result from the use of the low handle and its protection by the associated bottles, the present invention renders it possible to effectuate very substantial savings in paper board material. These savings result not only from the saving in actual area of material made possible by the shorter handle, but more particularly by the saving in w'eight or thickness which it allows. Because the handles are safeguarded against injurious fiexion, whipping action, inertia shocks and the like, and because they do not have to be bent or creased or scored, the handle panels may be made of very much lighter or thinner material of the same quality than can the high handle carriers with a similar factor of safety.

Inasmuch as the handle panels may be made lighter, the entire carrier may be made of lighter material. because it is the handle parts which have to carry the greatest load.

The angular disposition of the pair of parallelogram-shaped finger holes furthers the above advantages of the same by increasing the users comfort while carrying the bottles, due to more equal distribution of the weight on the fingers. Any possibility of scratching of the users knuckles is avoided by low and inclined disposition of the finger holes: and all this is made possible without a resultant tendency to weaken the container at the handle by the mentioned angular disposition of the holes.

Reference has been made above to certain advantages flowing from the manner in which the partition strips are formed in the blank and arranged in the completed package. Further ad vantages reside in the fact that the bottle compartments may be made of adequate, or even excess, depth, thereby aifording secure retention for the bottles, it being observed that the outer walls afford continuous or unbroken envelopment of the outwardly presented sides of the bottles. The arrangement of the partition strips produces wall panels of stepped or graduated height, which contributes certain features of novelty in appearance of the package, and affords extensive areas for advertisemental and decorative printing. A further advantage resides in the fact that the arrangement is such that when a plurality of the packages is placed in a case or tray for handling or shipment, usually four to the case, the high wall portions of one package meet the low wall portions of the juxtaposed packages. This is illustrated in Fig. 9 wherein the heaviest boundary lines are intended to indicate the highest wall portions, the lightest lines to indicate the lowest wall portions and the intermediate lines to indicate the wall portions of intermediate height. In the handling of cases in bottling plants for loading on trucks or the like, they are sometimes fed by gravity on roller conveyors or chutes. down which the cases travel one after another to the delivery point. As they frequently move with considerable speed. the bottles may be subjected to very considerable inertia shocks due to colliding of the cases or sudden stopping of them. As there is necessarily a certain amount of freedom of movement of the packages .within the cases or trays, it has been a not unusual experience that bottles in juxtaposed packages of kinds heretofore used have been broken by being dashed forcibly against one another in such handling. By the arrangement of the boundary wall portions in the present package as above described,

the bottles are afforded complete protection against the dashing of those of one package against those in juxtaposed packages.

What I claim is:

1 A paperboard carrier for a plurality of like bottles, said carrier including a bottom, a. pair of flexible side walls connected to the bottom, a vertically extending panel disposed between and terminating above said walls, and transverse partition means in collapsible relation to and disposed between said panel and respective walls and adapted to subdivide the space on opposite sides of said panel into cells to accommodate said bottles, the ratio of the height of said panel in its normal, fully extended upright position to the length of one of said side walls being less than 1.5:1.0, the upper edge' of said panel terminating below the top of said bottles in said cells to enable stable. non-wobbling. vertically aligned stacking of loaded carriers one on top of am other, each supported by the bottles in the sub- Jacent carrier. said panel having provision for manually suspending the loaded carrier with the users knuckles between the necks of the bott es.

2. A package comprising a paperboard bottle carrier, and a plurality of like bottles of predetermined girth and height contained thereby, said carrier including a bottom, a pair of flexible side walls connected to the bottom, a vertically extending panel disposed between and terminating above said walls. said respective walls being spaced laterally from said panel a distance approximately equal to the bottle diameter, and transverse partition means in collapsible relation to and disposed between said panel and respective walls and bendably connected to the former, said partition means being adapted to subdivide the space on opposite sides of said panel into cells which accommodate said bottles, the upper edge of said panel terminating lower than the top of said bottles in said cells to enable stable, non-wobbling, vertically aligned stacking of loaded carriers one on top of another, each supported by the bottles in the subjacent carrier, said panel having provision for manually suspending the loaded carrier with the users knuckles between necks of the bottles.

3. A carrier for a plurality of like beverage bottles of predetermined girth and height, said carrier being formed of a single piece of flexible paperboard which is foldable to provide, when erected, a flexible bottom, a pair of flexible side walls connected to the bottom, a flexible, vertically extending, laterally deiiectable panel midway between and terminating above said side walls, and flexible transverse partition means, said transverse partition means extending between" said panel and respective side walls and subdividing the space on opposite sides of said panel into cells for individual bottles, said panel in its fully extended upright position terminating at a level which is not above the plane of the tops of such bottles loaded in said carrier and is sufliciently low with relation to said plane as to permit vertically aligned stacking of like loaded carriers on top of said carrier without distortion of said panel, and said panel being provided with a hand hold at a level to position the knuckles of the user between the necks of the bottles disposed on opposite sides of said panel.

4. A paperboard carrier, as defined in claim 3, in which said partition members are cut at least in part from the material of said respective side walls and serve to subdivide the space on either side of said panel into at least three bottle receiving cells, the side wall portion defining an intermediate cell being vertically stepped in height relative to the side wall portions of the cells at either side thereof.

' SAMUEL N. LEBOLD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 15, 1939 

